Page 86 of Stalked

“Every human the clan takes is assigned a vampire who lays claim to them. They are yours, and you are theirs. The older vampires have seniority over the witches brought in. The blood from a witch tastes so much better than a human, but the blood fromyou, Akasha, has been prophesied to be quite delightful.”

Gross.

“This is the reason Maurice wants you all to himself,” she said. “The power he’ll gain from drinking your blood, well, he’ll stop at nothing to have it.”

This cannot be my reality now. I have to get the fuck out of here.

We heard laughter coming from two men in the dining area. I recognized Maurice’s laugh, but I wasn’t sure about the other.

We entered the room, and Maurice was sitting next to a man I hadn’t expected to see. It was Roland, Caleb’s father. He was as strikingly handsome as I remembered, just like his son.

Suddenly, another memory sprang into my mind, covering my vision in darkness.

Not now. Not now.

I was back in the training room at the age of thirteen with Caleb, Leah, Simon, and Ezra. It was the same memory the psychic had brought out of me. Roland reached out his hand to bring me to my feet after I had just turned my first vampire to ash. He brought me in for a warm hug.

“I’m so proud of you, Mercy. Well done,” Roland said.

I felt a sharp sting on my face. “Wake up.” Maurice was standing over me.

Did he just slap me?

“Where did you go just now?” The tone of Maurice’s voice demanded that I answer him.

“I don’t know. I spaced out or something. I’m used to having coffee first thing when I wake up.”

He let out a derisive snort and glanced over at Roland. “Humans are so pathetically weak.” He turned to Kyoko. “Have the help brew some coffee for our guest.”

I sat down directly across the table from Roland as Kyoko rushed to the kitchen. I looked into his eyes, and my heart ached a little. Roland had stepped in like a father figure, and now, he was a part of a malicious clan that was keeping me against my will. “Akasha, this is Roland,” Maurice said.

Roland held out his hand, but I didn’t take it.

“I know who he is,” I snapped. I felt rage build up inside me. Roland helped raise me, and now he was sitting here as one of my captors.

He’s a traitor.

“You remember me?” he asked, tilting his head.

“Oh, I know exactly who you are!” I fumed. “But apparently, you’ve forgotten who I was to you back then.”

Roland may have warned us about the clan coming to the safe house, but he wasn’t trying to rescue me. He was sitting next to Maurice—his ally. This was just a sick and twisted game to them.

“I’ve not forgotten, Mercy,” Roland said. “Many years have passed, though, and our roles have been a little divided since then.”

Maurice glared at Roland.

“Relax, Maurice. I helped raise this girl. I’ll call her by her given name,” Roland said, and then tilted his head toward me. “Has my son been training you?”

“When was the last time you saw Caleb?” I asked, ignoring his question.

“Akasha, hold your tongue!” Kyoko snapped at me while placing my coffee on the table.

“It’s okay, Kyoko. She has every right to be angry with me,” Roland said.

At that moment, staring into the eyes of someone I had once loved as family, I wondered if he was indeed on my side.

“Don’t ponder too hard on that thought, Mercy. I’m always on your side.”A voice echoed in my mind. Roland kept his eyes on mine and gave me a discrete nod while Maurice was asking Kyoko to call in Dorian and Noah.

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